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Sunday, August 12, 2012

Chicken N Dumplings!

So the other day, I asked JD what he would like for dinner. Normally that conversations goes something like this:

"It don't matter, whatever you want." That isn't the answer I'm after. If I ask that question it means I need ideas. This time his answer was "How much trouble are chicken and dumplings?" My answer:

"None whatsoever!"

And they really aren't. I didn't have any chicken on hand but I did have some wild turkey breast, which worked out wonderfully. This recipe is easy and fail-proof. It will take me longer to post this than it did to actually make the dumplings. I'm beginning to understand that I'm faster with cooking than I am at blogging, which is fine. No one is sitting here waiting on me to finish this post like they sit and wait on dinner...

For the recipe:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup ice water

4 cups chicken stock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

I prefer chicken or turkey with the skin on and bone in. It results in meat that is more tender and juicy.

Since these were boneless and skinless, I covered them with water added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and about 1/4 cup of canola oil. Cook them on medium heat for about an hour or until cooked through. Strain the liquid and use it for your dumplings later.

When the chicken has cooled cut, chop and shred it into bite size pieces. Set aside until the dumplings have cooked.

You need really cold ice water! I add ice cubes to a large cup of water and let it sit until it's very cold, then measure out the 1/2 cup for the recipe.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder with a whisk.

Add the shortening to the dry ingredients.

Add the ice water a little at a time.

Mix after each addition of water.

Keep adding and mixing until you've added all of the water.

Your dough should look like this.

Gently shape the dough into a ball and place it on plastic wrap to roll out. Less clean up :)

Roll out the dough lengthwise.

Then roll out the width.

Then criss cross wise. I made that up...

Roll out the dough in all directions is what I'm trying to say...

Cut the dough into strips. I only cut half of them and I'll tell you why later in this post.

Then cut the strips into one inch pieces. Now we have dumplings!

Add the chicken stock to the strained liquid from cooking the chicken. Heat on medium until it comes to a gentle boil.

Add the dumplings a few at a time.

When they rise to the top you can add a few more.

Keep adding them a little at a time until they're all cooked.

Now place the chicken back into the pot to heat up.

Add the pepper to taste.

Add the salt to taste. I know, I did this backwards.

I love these with cornbread and coleslaw. Or just by themselves!

Now, here is the reason I only cut half of the dumplings. It's only JD and myself and this recipe makes a bunch of dumplings.

Using the plastic wrap that I rolled the dumplings on I wrapped them up.

Folded them over.

And placed them in a freezer bag. I'll be dumpling ready next time JD mentions needing a dumpling fix!